Most leaders today receive no real education about power—and neither do citizens, front-line workers, or middle managers. The few who do are often taught that power and ethics are separate. This widespread ignorance isn’t inevitable.
In this engaging and deeply practical exploration, Dr. Douglas Board and the Revd Martin Henwood draw on decades of experience to introduce readers to the essential principles of power—both basic and advanced. Through thirty-six firsthand incidents and twenty more from the public sphere, they expose how power operates across institutions and everyday life, from corporate backrooms and hospital wards to churches, schools, and government. Their examples include the Horizon scandal, whistleblowing at Uber, and the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The authors show that an intellectually rigorous and accessible education about power is possible—and urgently needed. If future generations can learn to recognize and handle power safely, they may avoid the failures of today’s leaders.
Unflinching yet hopeful, this groundbreaking guide helps readers analyze their own experiences, confront the abuse of authority, and imagine a more accountable, compassionate, and connected world.
Dr Douglas Board is an executive coach and the author of five books (including two novels) on leadership and power. He is a visiting professor at the University of Chichester and was until 2024 a member of the Kings Counsel Selection Panel. The Financial Times described his most recent book, Elites, as profound, subversive and often very funny.
Martin Henwood is a priest in the Church of England and vicar of Holy Trinity, Dartford in Kent. He has trained in group analysis, served as Bishops Adviser on regeneration and chaired an NHS authority as well as school governing bodies. He particularly values the mystic wisdom traditions across different faiths, and turning spirituality into action.
